1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control panel unit having a control lever operable by a driver seated at a driver's seat of a utility vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a control panel unit including a base panel which covers the control lever except for its control grip area and a guide slot defined in the base panel along an operational displacement of the control lever.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional control panel unit of the above type, as known from e.g. Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No.: 6-165610 (paragraph [0008], FIGS. 5 and 6), includes a fender (corresponding to “base panel”) having a plurality of slots (corresponding to the “guide slot”) in which a plurality of control levers are inserted respectively. So that, each control lever is operated by a driver seated at a driver's seat of the utility vehicle. With such control panel unit, indices such as numerals, marks are provided on the top face (display face) of the base panel for indicating operational positions of the respective control levers.
However, as the base panel is disposed horizontal, the display face too is disposed horizontal, it is difficult for the driver to see the indices thereon. Further, as an area available as the display face is limited, it is difficult to form the indices in sufficient sizes.
Japanese Utility Model Application “Kokai” No. 58-134147 discloses a control panel unit having an inclined base panel, so that its display face too is formed as an upwardly inclined face, as is shown in FIG. 22 herein. As the display face is formed as such inclined face oriented toward the driver, it is easier for the driver to see the indices thereon, compared with the above-described conventional construction. However, since the inclination of the base panel is severely limited by e.g. a construction of a control mechanism housed within the base panel and/or the particular design of the space of the driver's seat created outside the base panel, it has been practically impossible to provide an optimally inclined face to the driver.